Born this day 1913 in Plymouth

Michael Foot -  “grandfather of devolution”  and MP for Ebbw Vale from 1960 to 1992.

A deep thinker and prolific writer; he had a glittering career in journalism before becoming an MP; Foot was as far from the modern image-obsessed politician as it is possible to imagine.  He first became an MP in Plymouth and in 1960  took over the constituency of Ebbw Vale from his hero, Aneurin Bevan, later writing a two-volume biography of  him and with James Callaghan and Neil Kinnock. He was one of a group of Welsh MPs who dominated Labour’s senior ranks in the 1970s and 1980s.  He led Labour from 1980 to 1983, a period marked by internal party rows and a failure to counter the Conservative populism of Margaret Thatcher. After his death in 2010, tributes were paid to him by politicians from all parties.

*  Former First Minister Rhodri Morgan saluted Mr Foot as the man who “set Labour on course for devolution. While people might not have necessarily expected it from somebody from Plymouth, he was a passionate supporter of devolving power who pushed for the 1979 vote in the face of the internal opposition".

*  First Minister Carwyn Jones said: “We have lost a real political giant.  Michael Foot was a great thinker, a fine orator and superb writer. He crammed a huge amount into his long life and he led the Labour Party during one of the most difficult periods in its history. Above all , he remained a fierce advocate for equality and social justice throughout his life and it is that passion for which he will always be fondly remembered.”

*  Former Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy said: “He was a true socialist, never wavering in his views, and he had a particular affection for Gwent, representing Ebbw Vale after the death of Nye Bevan.  I knew Michael as a friend and as a neighbouring constituency colleague, and as Gwent MPs we campaigned on many issues together. He had a real understanding of the people of the Welsh Valleys and was proud to be an adopted Welshman."

*  Chris Roberts, Welsh Labour’s general secretary, said: “I had the great privilege of driving Michael around North Wales in 1989.  I was in awe of a lovely man who switched effortlessly from personal reminiscences of George Orwell and the leaders of the Spanish Republic to a chat over a cup of tea with two delighted elderly ladies in Porthmadog Milk Bar. We have lost a great socialist and a splendid human being.”

*  Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones said: “Michael Foot was a man of principle and a great Parliamentarian who commanded respect across the political divide. It was my privilege and pleasure to have known him and to have served in Westminster at the same time as him where I learnt much from his wealth of knowledge and commitment to social justice."  “Michael Foot was also a great devolutionist and I know that he was delighted when the people of Wales said yes to the creation of a National Assembly in 1997, despite wanting a more powerful parliament for Wales. His passing is a loss to the political culture of Wales.”

A staunch republican (though actually well liked by the Royal Family on a personal level), Foot rejected honours from the Queen and the government, including a knighthood and a peerage, on more than one occasion.

July 1861, the Welsh newspaper 'Baner ac Amserau Cymru' began twice-weekly publication.

In the mid 19th century, a newspaper was beginning to be considered as one of the essentials of life. The first successful Welsh newspaper was Yr Amserau [The Times] which was established in Liverpool in 1843 and dealt with contemporary issues, such as landlords and tithes, the Corn Laws, politics and education.

Yr Amserau was bought by Thomas Gee in 1859 and joined with Baner Cymru [The Banner of Wales]. Baner ac Amserau Cymru [The Banner and Times of Wales] became significantly influential. It was generally Liberal in outlook, supporting Radical causes and taking every opportunity to defend and promote nonconformity. The paper succeeded in attracting many able journalists, such as John Griffith, who was the London correspondent of the Baner, reporting parliamentary debates and attending political meetings throughout Wales.    

Sir Roger Mostyn (1625-1690) was a royalist during and after the English Civil War, whose subsequent fortune established the Mostyn Baronets, who in the following generations founded the town of Llandudno.

1625   Born near Holywell, Flintshire,

1642    Outbreak of The English Civil War.The Mostyn family supported King Charles I, with Sir Roger probably instigating the 'loyal address of the people of Flintshire', presented to Charles at York.

1642   Mostyn and Captain Salesbury provided Welsh troops when Charles visited Chester after his formal declaration of war. After the king's departure, the soldiers pillaged the houses of suspected parliamentarians.

1643    Mostyn was made a colonel and led a force of Welshmen into Chester, who expressed their loyalty by ransacking the town-house of Parliamentarian Sir William Brereton.

1643    Mostyn was appointed as the governor of Flint Castle, but following a long autumn siege, during which the garrison was reduced to eating their horses, he surrendered it to Brereton and Sir Thomas Myddelton.

1643(18 Nov)    Mostyn headed a combined troop of Irish soldiers and Welsh recruits, forcing the parliamentarians to abandon Flint. They also captured Hawarden Castle.

1646  Mostyn visited Ireland to muster recruits for the relief of Chester, returning with 160 men. The planned march to Chester was thwarted, however, when Brereton intercepted them and forced them to retreat to Conwy and to Denbigh. Mostyn himself escaped and managed to elude his enemies for 12 years.

1658   Mostyn was captured by Colonel Carter at Conwy but was soon released. However, he had bankrupted his estate in the service of the crown and had to live in impoverished seclusion for many years at a farmhouse called Plasucha.

1660   After The Restoration of the English monarchy, Charles ll made Mostyn a Baronet, his finances improving through profits derived from lead and coal mines.

1684  (23rd July) His situation became so secure that he was able to provide a 'very great and noble entertainment' for the Duke of Beaufort and his entourage on their official progress through Wales  before securing Bristol for King Charles II.

The Battle of Woodbury Hill - the battle that never was.

In July 1405, a French force arrived in Wales to assist the Owain Glyndwr Rebellion.

1405 was the "Year of the French" in Wales. Their force left Brest with more than twenty-eight hundred knights and men-at-arms led by Jean de Rieux, Marshal of France. However by the time they landed in Milford Haven they had lost many warhorses who had died through lack of fresh water. They marched inland alongside Owain's army and took the town of Haverfordwest but not the castle. They retook Carmarthen and laid siege to Tenby, then inexplicably, marched right across South Wales and into England. Force-marching through Herefordshire and Worcestershire, they met Henry lV's army at Great Witley, ten miles from Worcester itself. Henry's army stood on Abberley Hill facing south towards Owain's army, which took up position a mile away on the hill fort of Woodbury Hill. The armies surveyed each other, without any action, for eight days. No battle was initiated and eventually both sides withdrew, the Franco-Welsh force returning to Wales.

The reasons for the impasse and subsequent withdrawal are unclear, although it is generally believed that Henry's army had the advantage of being well supplied on home soil whereas the Franco-Welsh force was isolated deep in enemy territory and at risk of being surrounded. Also, Owain had suffered a devastating loss earlier that year at The Battle of Pwll Melyn (Battle of Usk) losing 1500 men according to some sources, including his brother Tudur and he was maybe reluctant to initiate an attack.

Saint Phillip Evans and Saint John Lloyd were executed for their beliefs on this day in 1679.

Philip Evans was born in Monmouth in 1645 and joined the Society of Jesus in Watten on 7 September 1665, he was ordained at Liege and sent back to South Wales as a missionary in 1675. After working as a Jesuit priest in Wales for nearly four years, a local priest hunter, John Arnold of Abergavenny offered the then enormous sum of £200 for his arrest. Despite the danger, Father Evans continued to minister to his flock. He was eventually arrested inDecember 1678.

John Lloyd, from Breconshire was a secular priest who was educated first in Ghent and then in Spain.  He took the 'missionary oath'  and was sent back to Wales in 1654 to minister and to encourage conversion to Catholicism. He fulfilled his vocation despite being on the run for almost 24 years. He was arrested in November 1678, and imprisoned in Cardiff Gaol where he was joined by the Jesuit, Philip Evans.

Both Lloyd and Evans had been caught up in the anti-catholic hysteria that had swept the country in the aftermath of  Titus Oates' fictitious "Popish Plot"  to kill King Charles II. 

Their executions took place in Cardiff on 22 July 1679. 

On 25 October 1970, both John Lloyd and Philip Evans  were canonised by Pope Paul VI.  Although they died on 22 July, this is the day of St Mary Magdalen, so their joint feast day has been designated as 23 July. 

On this day in 1933, Britain's most famous woman pilot, Amy Johnson and her husband Jim Mollison ( the “Flying Sweethearts”), took off from Pendine Sands in Carmarthenshire, in their attempt to fly across the Atlantic non-stop.

Huge crowds congregated in Pendine during the three weeks of preparations for the flight. Amy and her husband intended to fly to New York, but they were blown off course. The plane crash-landed at Bridgeport, Connecticut after flying for 39 hours. They covered a distance of 3,300 miles at an average speed of 85 mph. They were both injured in the crash, but after a period of recuperation, the pair were feted with a ticker- tape parade through Wall Street and lunched with President Roosevelt.

Born this day 1967 in Haverfordwest (raised in Ruthin)

Rhys Ifans is an actor and musician, best known for his roles in films such as "Notting Hill" and "Twin Town". He also appeared in "The Amazing Spider-Man", "Hannibal Rising", "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" and "Mr Nice", based on the life of Howard Marks. Ifans also won a BAFTA for his portrayal of comedian Peter Cook in the TV film Not Only But Always. 

Since 2012 Ifans has been involved with the 'Living Paths Society', which aims to further and develop the Welsh language Wikipedia: Wikipedia Cymraeg.

 In July 1403, Owain Glyndŵr, together with 800 men, laid siege to Carreg Cennen Castle.

A history of Carreg Cennen Castle (located within the Brecon Beacons National Park, four miles south of Llandeilo):

* The first masonry castle was probably built by The Lord Rhys, who died in 1197, and it remained a possession of the Deheubarth dynasty for the next 50 years.

* Lord Rhys's grandson, Rhys Fychan, eventually inherited the castle but was betrayed by his mother (the Norman Matilda de Braeos) who turned over the stronghold to the English. Rhys retook in 1248 only for it to be confiscated by Maredudd ap Rhys Gryg, his uncle and then claimed by King Edward I in 1277.

*  Edward I granted the castle to John Giffard in 1283. He had been commander of the English troops at Cilmeri where Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (The Last) was killed. Giffard had the castle significantly remodelled.

* In early July 1403 Owain Glyndŵr attacked Carreg Cennen with a force of 800 men but failed to take it despite inflicting damage to the castle's defences. It was held against Glyndwr, who laid siege to it for several months, by the man who, a few years later, was to marry one of Glyndwr's daughters. He was Sir John Scudamore of Herefordshire.

* in 1461, during the Wars of the Roses, Carreg Cennen was held by Lancastrian forces, though the Yorkists eventually captured the castle and set about demolishing it with a team of 500 men.

 * The Vaughan and Cawdor families took ownership, and from the 18th century, it started to attract artists (Turner sketched the castle in 1798).

* The second Earl of Cawdor began an extensive renovation in the 19th century, and in 1932 Carreg Cennen was given to the guardianship of the Office of Works.

* In the 1960s Carreg Cennen Castle was acquired by the Morris family of Castell Farm when Lord Cawdor's legal team inadvertently made a mistake in the wording of the deeds and included the castle as part of the farm.

* Today the castle is still in private ownership, although it is maintained by Cadw.

On 22nd July 1817, Windham Sadler became the first person to succeed in crossing the Irish Sea by hot air balloon, landing near Holyhead. 

Sadler lifted off from the Portobello barracks at Dublin and ascended to a good height to catch a suitable westerly current which enabled him fly the balloon across the Irish Sea.  In mid-channel he wrote, ‘I enjoyed at a glance the opposite shores of Ireland and Wales, and the entire circumference of Man.’ 

On 22nd July 1966 fifteen people, among them four children, were killed in a ferry boat accident in the Mawddach Estuary near Dolgellau. 

Thirty-nine people were on board the Prince Of Wales ferry as it was nearing the end of its pleasure trip from Barmouth to the George III hotel when the tragedy happened. The skipper was manoeuvring  the boat towards the jetty when the vessel was washed into the wooden toll bridge at Penmaenpool and the passengers were thrown into the fast-running incoming tide. 

The Cardiff City stadium, in the Leckwith area of Cardiff, was opened on 22nd July 2009.

It replaces Ninian Park as the home ground of Cardiff City Football Club. With a capacity of 26,828, it is the second largest stadium in Wales.

The sun has been shining for about 3 weeks now, and for the first time in about 7 years the grass is starting to dry off where the soil is thin on the rock. Gilfach nature reserve near Rhayader retains some freshness on the North and west facing hillsides.

The Radnorshire wildlife trust reserve ( http://www.rwtwales.org/index.php/radnorshire-wildlife-trust-reserves/gilfach ) is in a secretive side valley off the River Wye, a couple of miles up the A470 from Rhayader. http://goo.gl/oUUu0

The long house farm house was restored a few years ago and the lower half which would have provided shelter for animals is open to walk into and was quite cool on a warm day.

Above the hill opposite, Yr Wylorn, a Buzzard circled and a Peregrine soared, grasshoppers chattered and down by the stream a Dipper bobbed. If we had stayed until evening we would have seen Bats emerging from the old railway tunnel, but instead we headed off to the Elan Valley visitor centre to top up the stock of Cambrian Safaris leaflets, have an Ice cream and marvel at the variety of different Bicycles for Hire there. The old Railway routes there make great cycle paths. I'll write about the beautiful Elan Valley another time.

The Battle of Shrewsbury July 21st 1403. 

While Owain Glyndwr was making inroads in Deheubarth, his allies were less successful in the North.  Having forged a strong alliance with the Mortimer family through marriage, in 1403 Owain joined his son-in-law in supporting the powerful Earls of Northumberland and Worcester in their bid to overthrow Henry IV.  Henry 'Hotspur' Percy of Northumberland raised a force and in early July 1403 marched south to meet with his uncle Worcester and Owain Glyndwr.  By 19th July, he had recruited an army of 1400.  Unfortunately for Percy, news of the rebellion had reached The king, and by the time Percy had reached Shrewsbury, the King's army, led by Henry himself and his son 'Hal' (later to become Henry V) was waiting for them. 

The army of Owain Glyndwr was at this time still engaged in Carmarthen, but rather than retreat to fight another day, the notoriously impetuous Hotspur decided to engage his enemy without reinforcements.  Much of Saturday 21st July was taken up with negotiations between the two armies, but these talks broke down and the battle commenced near Battlefield Church.  The sky turned black with opposing archers firing at the opposition. It is believed that this was the first battle where the longbow was used by both sides. Initially, it was Percy who held the upper hand with many of his archers killing most of the royal vanguard while other fled in terror.  A Percy cavalry charge killed the royal standard-bearer, endangering the king. During the battle the Prince of Wales was wounded but still managed to lead his forces to support his father. Sir Henry Percy was killed and, leaderless, the rebel army fled. The Earl of Worcester was captured and was subsequently tried for treason, convicted and executed.  It is reported that the entire field was hidden by the bodies of the dead. Thousands died in only a few hours.  However the victors lost many more knights than the rebels and their total losses may have equalled those of the rebels in the two or three hours that the battle lasted. 

It is clear that with a stronger force, the outcome could have been very different for the rebels, and it is interesting to speculate how the History of Wales could have taken a different course had Glyndwr and his followers been present at this battle.

On 21st July 2010, the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David was formed by merging two of the oldest higher education institutions in Wales, the University of Wales, Lampeter with Trinity University College, Carmarthen. 

The University of Wales, Lampeter was founded in 1822 by royal charter and was the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales and was the third oldest in England and Wales after Oxford and Cambridge.  Trinity College began life in 1848 as the South Wales and Monmouthshire Training College and was the oldest teacher training college in Wales. 

Born this day 1945 in Watford

"the greatest conversion since Saint Paul"

John Taylor - former Wales and Lions rugby international, best remembered for his match-winning conversion against Scotland in 1971.  Taylor stepped in, when the usual kicker, Barry John was unable to take the kick and clinched a 19 - 18 victory with the remarkable touchline score.  Taylor played for the British and Irish Lions on the 1971 tour to New Zealand but was was notable for the stand he took against apartheid by turning down the opportunity to tour with the 1974 Lions to south Africa. 

The first recorded person to surf the Severn Bore was Col J Churchill on 21 July 1955

The Severn Bore

A tidal bore  is a surge wave in which the leading edge of the incoming tide forms a wave of water that travels up a river against the normal direction of flow.  As the bore is formed, the decreasing width and depth of the river form a funnel shape which draws the wave along.

The Severn Bore is one of the biggest in the world and is one of Britain's few truly spectacular natural phenomena. The shape of the Severn estuary is such that the water is funnelled into an increasingly narrow channel as the tide rises, thus forming the large wave that can travel up to 13 miles per hour.   

*  The largest recorded Severn Bore was on 15 October 1966 when it reached a height of 9.2 feet (2.8 m)

Rhys Meirion a Robat Arwyn - Llefarodd yr Haul

Rhys Meirion yn cyflwyno casgliad godidog o ganeuon Robat Arwyn gyda Pharti Dyffryn Clwyd a Cherddorfa Sesiwn Cymru /Rhys Meirion presents a wonderful compilation of songs by Robat Arwyn featuring Parti Dyffryn Clwyd and
The Welsh Session Orchestra.

Maer recordiad hwn yn dwyn ynghyd ddau o ffigyrau mawr cerddoriaeth gyfoes Cymru - Robat Arwyn y cyfansoddwr a Rhys Meirion y canwr. Ond nid yw pethau mor syml hynny chwaith! Clywir yma hefyd Robat Arwyn y canwr, a Robat Arwyn y cyfeilydd. Ac y mae teulu Rhys yn treiddio drwyr cyfan - yn addewid ifanc Elan ac Erin, ac yn yr hiraeth o golli ei chwaer Elen. Cyfansoddodd Robat y delyneg hyfryd Llefarodd yr haul i eiriau Robin Llwyd ab Owain, yn dilyn ei brofiad yng ngwasanaeth coffa Elen Meirion, ar gn honno syn agor y casgliad arbennig yma:

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Pan ymunodd Rhys Chr Rhuthun flynyddoedd yn l, gwyddwn yn syth fod yma lais go arbennig. Byth ers hynny maer tenor telynegol wedi cyffwrdd calonnau gydai lais melfed ai bersonoliaeth hynaws. Anrhydedd or mwya yw cael Rhys i gyflwyno casgliad cyfan om caneuon, a chael ysgrifennu Llefarodd yr Haul ar ei gyfer, er cof am ei chwaer, Elen Meirion. Ond o sylweddoli pa mor hyfryd a sensitif ywr geiriau, pha mor uchel oedd disgwyliadau Rhys am goffd cerddorol teilwng iw chwaer, roedd y profiad o'i hysgrifennu yn un digon anodd. Rl sawl cynnig, fy mraint bellach yw cael trosglwyddor gn i ofal Rhys. (- Robat Arwyn)

Ac fel pe na bai talentau y ddau gyfaill Rhys a Robat yn ddigon, clywir yma am y tro cyntaf ar record gr ifanc arall a grewyd gan Leah Owen: Parti Dyffryn Clwyd. Maer cyfan yn cyfuno i greu clasur o gasgliad.


The renowned tenor Rhys Meirion and composer Robat Arwyn first worked together as members of Rhuthun Youth Choir, and their friendship has blossomed into a musical partnership which gives this recording a very special quality. Rhys has wanted to make an album of his friends compositions for some years, but the tragic loss of his sister Elen Meirion gave an added impetus to the project. Rhys asked Robat to compose a song in Elens memory,to words by Robin Llwyd ab Owain, and the result is the first track on this unique album - a tender tribute to a very special person:

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When Rhys joined Cr Rhuthun many years ago, I knew instantly that there was an exceptional voice here. Since then this lyrical tenor has touch the hearts of many with his velvet voice and amiable personality. Its a great honour for me to have Rhys present a complete collection of my songs, and to be asked to compose the music for Llefarodd yr Haul in memory of his sister, Elen Meirion. But after realising how beautiful and sensitive the lyrics were, and how high Rhys expectations were for a worthy musical commemoration for his sister, the composing task proved to be quite difficult. After several attempts, Im finally privileged to be able to deliver the song into Rhys care. (- Robat Arwyn)

Robat is heard on this album as a singer in his own right, and as an accompanist, and Rhys daughters Elan and Erin are also featured, Erin as a member of Parti Dyffryn Clwyd - a young choir we will certainly hear more about. Together, they make for a very special album indeed.

RHESTR TRACIAU/ TRACK LISTING:
1.LLEFARODD YR HAUL
2. PREGETH Y MYNYDD (deuawd gyda ROBAT ARWYN)
3. PIE JESU
4. PAID BYTH AM GADAEL I (deuawd gydag ELAN MEIRION JONES)
5. ANFONAF ANGEL
6. NINA NANA
7. AGNUS DEI
8. DIM LLE
9. DILYN FI
10. O LLEFARA ADDFWYN IESU (deuawd gyda ROBAT ARWYN)
11. EMYN PRIODAS
12. PEDAIR OED

Writing from mid Wales... I've joined Americymru to post stories and pictures etc fresh from Mid Wales, and to promote 'Cambrian Safaris'.

This weekend is Rhayader Carnival, and next week the Royal Welsh Agricultural show, which I believe is the largest this side of the pond!

Looking forward to a trip around the Elan Valley tomorrow!

Something new something old? Its new for me to be writing on the Americymru Website, from the 'Old Country'!

Dylan Thomas in Space! 

On 20th July 1967 Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the surface of the moon. Watching avidly from earth was George Abbey, Assistant Director of the Johnson Space Centre, whose mother was from Laugharne, Carmarthenshire.  George, now in his 80s retains close connections with Wales and with Laugharne in particular.  In April 2013 in the Richard Burton lecture at  Swansea University, he recalls "There was a very strong Welsh feeling in our home because my mother spoke Welsh."  Abbey’s desire to remain loyal to his Welsh roots encouraged him to read and appreciate Dylan Thomas’ work.  “Dylan’s works have always had great meaning to me and I’ve always felt a close relationship with Laugharne and the cottage. My mother played in the area around the cottage growing up and a cousin, Dick Lewis, the milkman in Laugharne, was a very close friend of Dylan’s and (wife) Caitlin’s. They used to drink together every afternoon at Brown’s Hotel in Laugharne and Dick was a pallbearer at the funeral. He is mentioned in Dylan’s works as ‘Dick the Milk’, so the ties are really close and lasting.” Abbey was determined to ensure that there was a Welsh dimension to the space flights.  “On a visit to Wales, I told the people in Laugharne at Dylan Thomas’ cottage that I would arrange to fly a memento of Dylan’s in space aboard the Space Shuttle. They gave me a very treasured photograph, probably fully expecting to never see it again. I arranged to have it flown and returned it to them with the authentication of its flight to space. The return of the photo was covered by the newspapers – I would expect it’s on display at the cottage in Laugharnetoday.  If the weather was good, I also usually tried to get the astronauts as they flew to get a picture of Wales because of my Welsh roots. 

In 1983 George became Director of flight operations, putting America's first woman into space.  By 1996, he had become overall Director of the Johnson Space Centre, and the man most responsible for the International Space Station.

Iris Davies (1935 – 20 July 2010), pen name Iris Gower, was a Swansea-born novelist, noted for her many historical romances, most of which are set in the seaport of Swansea and the nearby Gower Peninsula, which was the inspiration for her nom-de-plume.  

As a young woman, she worked as a nursery teacher and took other part-time jobs, but began writing in her twenties and had several stories published in popular magazines, such as 'Jackie and 'Woman's Own'. Her debut novel, Tudor Tapestry, was published in 1974, but it was the success of her novel 'Copper Kingdom' in 1983, that gave her a worldwide audience. This was one of many of her novels set in the copper and other industries of Swansea or in the rural life of its hinterland.

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Dr Thomas Wynne was born on 20th July 1627 in Bron Fadog,Ysceifiog, Flintshire. He was a significant figure in the early history of the United States and acted as personal physician to William Penn. He was among the original settlers of Philadephia in the Province of Pennsylvania. 

As a young man, Dr. Wynne had became increasingly dissatisfied with the poor quality of religious teaching in Wales. He felt that those responsible for his spiritual welfare were “of low degree” and had let him down. He was, as he later wrote, spiritually “at the mercy of the wolf”. He became a Quaker as the result of a profound spiritual experience; "the heavenly power wounded as a sword, it smote like a hammer at the whole body of sin, and my bowels it burned like fire”. He was one of the earliest and most loyal members of the Welsh Society of Friends, and was later imprisoned for his Quaker beliefs.

Wynne trained as a surgeon and was regarded as an expert “in the use of the Plaister Box and Salvatory, the Trafine and Head Saw, the Amputation Saw, and the Catling, the Cautery, Sirring and Catheter”

The persecution of the Quakers in seventeenth-century Britain  led to their search for a new land,  and when William Penn was given a grant of land in Philadelphia by Charles II in 1681, Thomas Wynne travelled as Penn's personal surgeon.  He took up a patent for 5000 acres of land in Pennsylvania, for which he paid £100.  His was one of the first brick houses in the new settlement. He took several office-holding positions including speaker of the first two Pennsylvania Assemblies and was a Justice of the Peace.

20th July 1899 — A rabid dog attacked a group of children in Pontarddulais.

The stray setter dog visited the neighbourhood of Pontardulais and bit a number of children, two on the face.  The dog was  reported to the Board of Agriculture, whose inspector on the following day visited Pontardulais and ordered the animal to be immediately shot and strongly recommended treatment at the Pasteur Institute for eight of the children.  This resulted in the respective boards of guardians of Swansea and Llanelli paying for the trip and 21 days treatment, which thankfully was successful with all the children returning fit and well.  

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The world's first passenger and mail hovercraft service commenced on 20th July 1962 between Rhyl and Moreton, Wirral.

Rhyl and Moreton were chosen because of their flat beaches; the service was scheduled to run up to 12 trips a day. However they achieved this on 6 days only. In total, the service ran on only 19 days out of 54, mainly because of strong winds, high seas and the continual failure of the rear lift engine. The service was discontinued 14th September 1962.  

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On July 20th 1969, at 20:18, Neil Armstrong became the first man to step onto the moon's surface making the comment  "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." However according to Max Boyce, a Welshman, namely Morgan the Moon, may well have beaten him to it.    

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On 20th July 1874, in a mining accident at Charles Colliery, Llansamlet, nineteen men were killed.

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Chepstow Railway Bridge was used for the first time on 19 July 1852, allowing the Great Western Railway to open its line from London to Swansea.

The "Great Tubular Bridge" by Isambard Kingdom Brunel is considered to be one of his greatest engineering achievements, as the span of 300 feet needed to be self supporting. This is because on the Monmouthshire side there is sedimentary deposit subject to daily flooding, and the height requirement of 84 feet above high water required by the Admiralty to allow free passage of vessels ruled out an arched bridge. As a result, Brunel designed the bridge to be suspended by chains from two 9 foot diameter cast iron tubes.

Born this day 1958 in Bangor

Angharad Tomos - prominent author and a relentless Welsh language activist, Tomos has made a substantial contribution to Welsh language children's literature,  including her popular Rwdlan series.  She is a former chairwoman of Cymdeithas yr Iaith.

Swansea University researchers have reconstructed the face of a Welsh archer who drowned on the Mary Rose in 1545.

The Mary Rose, a warship of King Henry VIII, last saw action on 19 July 1545, leading an attack on a French invasion fleet. She sank shortly afterward off Portsmouth, but in 1982 she was raised from the seabed and the skull of one the drowned men was taken taken to Swansea university for analysis. There, University researchers and a Swedish police expert in facial reconstruction reconstructed the skull, muscle by muscle, and created a 3D computer-generated image. They identified him as an elite archer and as it is known that many of Henry's archers came from Wales, it is very likely that this is the face of a Welsh archer.  The artefact is on display in the Mary Rose museum in Portsmouth.  

On 19 July 1984 an earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale (the largest recorded onshore quake in the UK) struck the Llyn Peninsula.  The effects were felt throughout Wales and most of England, the biggest concentration of damage being in Liverpool, with the aftershocks felt as far away as Dublin.

The Llyn peninsula is known locally as the "Dragon's Tail" as it is so prone to earth tremors. It forms part of a band of seismic activity that spans the north west of England, north Wales and Scotland.  This could be the result of plate-tectonic activity under the Atlantic Ocean and could also reflect the fact that this area was covered in thick ice 20 millennia ago. Although the ice has melted, the release of its weight is still causing contractions in the earth's crust.